Diabesity Band-Aid

Do you ever watch those antacid commercials on TV? I saw one right in the middle of a news program this morning: first, you see a guy with an ear-to-ear grin eyeing a large, juicy hot dog with eager anticipation. Next frame, you see the same guy reaching for salvation in a bottle of antacids!

Now, let’s stop there a minute. If he knew the hot dog was going to produce acid reflux, why on earth did he eat it in the first place? (Is there nothing else to eat?) That was a rhetorical question, by the way.

The same goes for people struggling with diabetes and obesity—diabesity. Most people who got there. i.e. became diabesitics, did so on their own steam. And how? By blindly chomping away on the worst of the North American diet. And you know I don’t mean sinking their teeth into organic carrots.

You might just want to make a game of this. Take this week’s flyer from your favourite supermarket. Check off all the items that come in boxes. Most of them have too much salt—sometimes a week’s worth in a serving—too much white sugar, and some hidden sugars the manufacturers “forgot” to mention, plus a healthy dollop of fat. Anyone who doesn’t know what this looks like should go see one of those Oprah shows where Dr. Oz does a demo on a massive lump of fat. That’s guaranteed to gross you out at least till the next meal. Then go watch a program where he shows you the inside of a clogged artery. I don’t know which is the prettier sight. Now go cross off the boxed items from your shopping list.

When you are overweight you carry around a number of hidden killers. Your arteries are inflamed, your sinuses are inflamed, and you have difficulty breathing. Add Diabetes to the mix and you have a few major organs in distress—and that’s not just your pancreas. Why are you eating that stuff? You probably don’t know it, but you’re addicted to fake food. When that happens your body protests, and the fat cells increase in number to envelop all the toxins your body can’t handle.
Fake food leads to fake hunger, and you reach for more of the same.

Look in the mirror and see yourself in profile. Is that the profile you send out to all who see you. How many more years have to go by before you decide in favour of yourself? Oh, and by the way, how are your knees? Call me if you’d like to see a safe way out.

Jacquelyn

Jacquelyn Johnston M.Ed.
Professional Health Coach and Educator,
Solutions and Support for Optimal Health

Whether you need to lose those pesky 20 pounds,
work on prevention or regain health, I can help.